ivystracenerhttps://ivystracener.wordpress.com
The Attic of My Imagination and A Measure of My Soul
Mon, 19 Nov 2018 22:42:39 +0000 en
hourly
1 http://wordpress.com/https://s0.wp.com/i/buttonw-com.pngivystracenerhttps://ivystracener.wordpress.com
Windows to the soulhttps://ivystracener.wordpress.com/2013/06/03/windows-to-the-soul/
https://ivystracener.wordpress.com/2013/06/03/windows-to-the-soul/#respondTue, 04 Jun 2013 00:38:53 +0000http://ivystracener.wordpress.com/?p=804I blogged about this over a year ago but felt like it was a good one to share again, especially today when I am stuck at home with swollen eyes from allergies.

This is a concept that I have long believed in, reading peoples eyes. I have become a student of eyes, they are the window to your soul. There is something to be said about facial expressions and body language but not right here right now. The eyes, they are such amazing organs, they do so much. Imagine what your life would be like without them. All the wonders you would miss, sunrises, sunsets, architecture, paintings, faces, food, cars, the list goes on and on. These simple little organs do so much for us, they tell us how far away things are, how fast they are moving, what they are made of or what shape they are. We use our eyes for EVERYTHING. I would challenge you to blindfold yourself or a half hour tonight while you are chilling at home and see how much you appreciate your eyes, and don’t just blindfold yourself and lay down in bed, try to do something, wash dishes, fold clothes, sort your dirty laundry, clean your bathroom…(I suggest nothing involving motor vehicles, sharp knives, or hot elements.) But honestly how often do you forget all your eyes do for you?

Windows to the soul, right, have you ever used your eyes to read someone soul? I say it is possible but it is an art that takes time and patience. It requires a deep look into yourself first and that can often be scary but what is truly frightening is when you look into someone’s eyes and glimpse their soul looking back at you. It doesn’t happen very often, most people don’t know how to see past the pretty or ugly face in front of them into that persons soul. I have seen a great many things but there was nothing sadder than seeing emptiness behind someone’s eyes. I have seen great sorrow and great strength in people. It can take only a moment to see but you must be looking for it. People are less mysterious than they believe they are, its that the people around them are just not very observant.

Become a studier of the souls of men (and women). Look deep, don’t accept the easy answer of “I’m Fine.” Don’t let fear keep you from seeing the true beauty of a person.

Until Then…

]]>https://ivystracener.wordpress.com/2013/06/03/windows-to-the-soul/feed/0ivystracenerStars in an Hourglasshttps://ivystracener.wordpress.com/2013/05/07/stars-in-an-hourglass/
https://ivystracener.wordpress.com/2013/05/07/stars-in-an-hourglass/#respondTue, 07 May 2013 18:53:34 +0000http://ivystracener.wordpress.com/?p=796As our time slips by and,

We watch people come and go,

Day passes into night,

Night into new day,

Sand falls from the hourglass.

Time is running out,

Time is growing short,

But amid all the loss,

A star appears within the glass.

Bright and glowing,

Blindingly so.

As the sand recedes,

And emptiness prevails,

A star hangs, marking a place in time.

A moment,

A choice,

A day,

A life,

That time cannot touch or tarnish.

What once was a grain of sand,

Now transformed by fate,

Hangs as a star in an empty Hourglass

]]>https://ivystracener.wordpress.com/2013/05/07/stars-in-an-hourglass/feed/0ivystracenerAladdin Syndromehttps://ivystracener.wordpress.com/2013/04/11/aladdin-syndrome/
https://ivystracener.wordpress.com/2013/04/11/aladdin-syndrome/#respondFri, 12 Apr 2013 01:20:57 +0000http://ivystracener.wordpress.com/?p=790“Do you trust me?” It might surprise you that those four words are the words I want to hear from a man even more than “You are beautiful” or “I love you” Maybe its just me be I have always wanted to have a man walk into my life and make me trust him. I am a very reserved girl, one who does not trust easily or quickly. I know that I have lost friendships and possible relationships because I am so reluctant to trust others. I have had this idea in the back of my mind most of my life that one day a man would come along and offer me this great adventure and I would do what I always do, hesitate and back away and then he would say, “Do you trust me?” Maybe that just the overly romantic part of me coming out. The premise still remains, I have been looking and waiting for someone to make me trust them. I ran across the image above a few days ago and this idea has been rolling around in my head trying to make itself into something meaningful. I honestly have no idea where to put this concept or idea that I developed, but I have now named it the Aladdin Syndrome. I don’t think there is anything wrong with being slow to trust, its just a bit lonely but if you can handle the loneliness maybe its not so bad.

That brings up another thing I have been thinking a lot about lately. Just because you can handle something doesn’t mean you have to. Just because I can handle being lonely doesn’t mean I have to be lonely. Life is that eternal struggle to maintain a healthy balance of things in your life. No relationship will be perfect, there will be moments where you get hurt or mad or disappointed but what makes the difference between a relationship that you stand in the fire because you know you can and a relationship that you see the flames and leave? I wish I know. There have been times in my life, if I look back, where I left when I should have stayed and I stayed when I would have left. How do you know the difference? The emotion hurt just the same, the choices and results look the same too? So how do you know when you should stand and take the heat or when you just need to get out of the fire? Again, I wish I knew…

]]>https://ivystracener.wordpress.com/2013/04/11/aladdin-syndrome/feed/0ivystracener4899a17063c542711a0b30afd807ce93“Falling In Love in Six Acts” – the best ad campaign everhttps://ivystracener.wordpress.com/2013/04/10/falling-in-love-in-six-acts-the-best-ad-campaign-ever/
https://ivystracener.wordpress.com/2013/04/10/falling-in-love-in-six-acts-the-best-ad-campaign-ever/#commentsWed, 10 Apr 2013 06:29:18 +0000http://ivystracener.wordpress.com/2013/04/10/falling-in-love-in-six-acts-the-best-ad-campaign-ever/The Ethical Nag: Fair warning to my male readers: this is an article, more like a gushing fan letter really, about my very favourite ad campaign of all time, and it’s clearly directed at female consumers. Most men I’ve shown this to – including my business school profs and agency creative types…]]>

Fair warning to my male readers: this is an article, more like a gushing fan letter really, about my very favourite ad campaign of all time, and it’s clearly directed at female consumers. Most men I’ve shown this to – including my business school profs and agency creative types I’ve worked with since then – merely scratch their heads and squint. They do not get it. And that’s okay, because men are simply not the target market for this ad. I love this brilliant ad so much that I’ve actually kept the original Vanity Fair magazine where I first discovered it back in October, 1993.

This ad breaks all the rules of effective advertising. It features huge blocks of small-font text, juxtaposed with ethereal full-page sepia photographs of women. And until you get to the very last page of this 12-page ad – and we can only imagine what a…

]]>https://ivystracener.wordpress.com/2013/04/10/falling-in-love-in-six-acts-the-best-ad-campaign-ever/feed/2ivystracenerIf your “Why” is strong enough….https://ivystracener.wordpress.com/2013/03/27/if-your-why-is-strong-enough/
https://ivystracener.wordpress.com/2013/03/27/if-your-why-is-strong-enough/#respondWed, 27 Mar 2013 22:09:10 +0000http://ivystracener.wordpress.com/?p=781You will have to forgive me and extend me a little bit of trust on this one, this is not first hand experience but I know this story is true. Some of the detail, names, place etc, have slipped my memory but the heart of this still beats strong and true inside me. Some of you know that I am in sales, formerly the sale of Cutco knives to be precise and this is a story of a fellow salesman whom I have yet to have the pleasure to meeting but his story still inspires me.

This collage student, lets call him David, had been on a fantastic selling streak, for the last 6 weeks he had hit his goal of selling $4,000 a week and he was on target to go it again. He had what’s called in the business a “grand day” set. It was the last day of the sales week he had 5 appointments ahead of him and he was only one grand away from hitting his goal for the 7 week in a row. David was confident, he knew how to sell his product, all he had to do was show up and give the demonstration like had a thousand times before. He knew how to win, the first thing he did in every demo was to not just share his personal goals with Mr or Mrs Jones but to enroll them in it. He shared his dreams of Graduating college debt free and starting up his own company with every ounce of passion he had. The truth was David didn’t hit his sales goals because he was a slick salesman he hit his goals because he had a passion that wouldn’t quit and a dream that he wouldn’t let die.

David had all the momentum to achieve his goal that morning and as he was on the way to his first appointment adversity struck and struck hard in the form of a car accident. David and the other driver where luckily unharmed but David’s car was totaled. David was faced with a choice, call all 5 of his customers, who lived all over the city, and reschedule for next week or find a way to get to each appointment. There was no method of public transportation that could get him to where he needed to go and no friend or family member to ask for a ride, so what did he do? He asked the police officer who responded to the accident to give him a ride to his first appointment. David shared with the officer his goal and dreams just like he did with his customers. The officer was so moved and inspired by this young mans determination to achieve his goals, that he agreed to drive him to his first appointment. The officer wished he could have done more for David. David assured him he would be just fine and thank him whole heartedly for helping him achieve his dream. David was now at his first appointment, with no way to get to his next appointment that was across town plus he now had to explain to a middle aged women why he had been dropped of by a squad car. Not to mention that he was walking into her house with a bag full of very sharp knives. He chuckled to himself as he walked up the steps to ring the bell.

He rang the bell and greeted Mrs. Jones. He explained to her why his face had little cuts from broken glass and also why there was a police car pulling away from her house. She was shocked and a little taken back by the whole story but she still kindly invited him in to do his demonstration. David with practiced and focus did his demo for her, sharing his passions and dreams. Mrs. Jones decided that David had a few knives she liked and purchase them from his, also she knew some friends who would be interested in learning about the products that David had offered to her. There was just one last thing David had to ask, so he took a breathe and asked if there was anyway she could take him to his next appointment. Mrs. Jones had been so inspired and moved by Davids determination that she quickly agreed to take him to his next appointment.

Mrs. Jones dropped David off at his next appointment, and David now stood in front of Mrs. Smiths house with no way of reaching his next appointment but he was still determined to do all in his power to reach his goal. This could be his last appointment of the day so he better make it the best one ever. He walked up to the door and Mrs. Smith answered. She was an elderly women, she ushered him in with a very grand mothering was and they sat down at the table. From David’s experience in this business he could tell that Mrs. Smith was not a likely customer but this did not change anything, he still did his demo just the same. He shared his goals and dreams and took the time to show her all the knives and set options but Mrs. Smith was happy with her knives and did not need anything new. David did not lose heart, he had one last thing to ask. Mrs. Smith would you be able to take me to my next appointment, I know this is not a normal request but I a determined to keep my word and reach my goal and it would be of great help to me if you could.” David waited, knowing that it was a considerable walk for him to reach his next appointment. Mrs. Smith smiled and nodded “Of course, young man, I can take you to your next appointment.”

David arrived at his third appointment in Mrs. Smiths old Buick that smelled a bit like a hair salon, thanked her repeatedly and waved as she drove away. Mrs. Brown was a single mom with a toddler running around the house. After David completed his demo she bought one of the large sets of knives that David offered her, she did a lot of cooking and knew the value of having quality tools. She seamed to be a busy women with two children in school and one at home, David was half way to his sales goal and did for a moment question if he should just call it a day and begin his long walk back to the office, but something in him said no. No, David you have done all this work, you put in all these hours. You can’t just give up, not without at least asking if she can give you a ride to your next appointment. David finished packing up his knife kit. He stood to face Mrs. Brown not in a demanding or pompous manor, but out of respect, he looked her in the eye and asked her as he had twice already that day if she would be willing to take him to his next appointment. Mrs. Brown without missing a beat said. “Joey,” her toddler “Want to go for a ride?” Joey who had been playing in the living room just behind them, popped his head up and ran over to his mother greatly excited to go for a ride. Mrs. Brown after loading Joey into his car seat in the mini van leaned over to David and whispered. “He loves riding in the car.”

Appointment number four, the Mini Van in front of the mansion. It was game time, The Van-Dean residence cast a large shadow over the street but this also did not effect Davids approach or demeanor. Again with practiced precision he did as he had done at his previous three demos that day. He told the story of why had arrived via mini van and why he was doing what he was doing. He shared his goal and dreams with the same passion he had before. And something strange happened this time, before even beginning his demo, Mrs. Van-Dean offered to take him where ever he needed to go after the demo. David was a little shock but tried not to show it. Mr. and Mrs Van-Dean purchased some knives from him, putting David 3/4 of the way to his goal, with one last appointment left. David then realized that he had to get his paperwork for the day to the office by 6 o’Clock that night or his sales would not count for this week. However he first had to complete his next appointment and he was already half way there with Mrs. Van-Deans offer to give him a ride.

David’s final appointment, this was it, one last appointment to reach his goal. He had to sell at least a three hundred dollar set to hit his goal. After arriving at the Adam’s residence David stuck to his plan. He shared the events of the day with Mr. and Mrs. Adams and also his goals. The Adam’s had no personal need of knives they actually already had Cutco Knives and loved them. David, having noticed a picture of the couple with two grown children as he entered the house, inquired about their children, how old there where and what they where now doing. After a little bragging on their children Mr. Adams had a lightbulb moment. He decided to purchase both his children a complete set of knives for christmas, which was still 9 months away. David was delighted, he had just reach and far exceeded his goal. One last challenge, he still had to make it across town which from the Adam’s house was nearly a 25 to 30 minute drive so he could turn in all the paperwork. So what did he do? He asked if the Adams could help him with one last thing to help him in achieving his goal. Mrs. Adams gladly agreed to drive him across town.

There are so many lessons in this story but the one that brought this story back to my mind today is this:

600 people reached the top of Mt. Everest in 2012. This blog got about 4,900 views in 2012. If every person who reached the top of Mt. Everest viewed this blog, it would have taken 8 years to get that many views.

]]>https://ivystracener.wordpress.com/2012/12/31/2012-in-review/feed/0ivystracenerDay (357) – :D So Damn Happyhttps://ivystracener.wordpress.com/2012/12/06/day-357-d-so-damn-happy/
https://ivystracener.wordpress.com/2012/12/06/day-357-d-so-damn-happy/#respondFri, 07 Dec 2012 01:02:42 +0000http://ivystracener.wordpress.com/2012/12/06/day-357-d-so-damn-happy/The Better Man Project ™: <p><a href=”http://vimeo.com/54970126″>The Better Man Project</a> from <a href=”http://vimeo.com/user15094200″>Evan Sanders</a> on <a href=”http://vimeo.com”>Vimeo</a>.</p> A dream has come true. I can’t even accurately describe how happy I am. I had the privilege to work with a producer who is nothing short of incredible, and now The Better Man Project has…]]>

Check out this amazing Project. This guy is amazing and he is going to change the world. Come Join the Dream. Please watch this video and then head over to http://thebettermanprojects.com/

A dream has come true. I can’t even accurately describe how happy I am. I had the privilege to work with a producer who is nothing short of incredible, and now The Better Man Project has ignited. Join the dream

Throughout our lives we are all given Name Tags some we give to ourselves, some we love and some we hate. Society likes to give us these Name Tags to make us easier to understand, but truly they are one of the main reason the world is so confused about who I am. You can give me a new Name Tag everyday until the end of the world, but until you sit down in a room with me and hear my laughter, see my tears and find the fire in my soul, you will never know me or begin to understand me. Look deep into my eyes and forget what the world may have told you about me and see what I can teach you myself and what your own heart can tell you. Stop seeing with just your eyes, I am not a resume or a stat sheet, I am flesh and blood. I have been broken and I have walked among the stars, I walked the same ground you have and seen the same beauty and the same destruction. I know light from dark the same way you do.

Come sit with me and I will show you who I am.

]]>https://ivystracener.wordpress.com/2012/11/06/name-tags/feed/1ivystracenerCan you say “I’m Sorry”https://ivystracener.wordpress.com/2012/10/12/can-you-say-im-sorry/
https://ivystracener.wordpress.com/2012/10/12/can-you-say-im-sorry/#respondFri, 12 Oct 2012 19:04:39 +0000http://ivystracener.wordpress.com/?p=764I’m sorry, two little words, and can you believe that some people just don’t know how to say them? For something so small, you would think that tongue wouldn’t have trouble with these words, but how many times have you felt them rise in your throat and yet your tongue refuses to form them? I know I have been there. I think we need to learn to look someone in the eye that we have hurt and say “I’m Sorry” with no but after it. A statement followed by a but becomes an excuse. We need to own our shit, so many times we half ass things, a half ass apology is an excuse and a cop out. You either take full responsibility for what you have done or your don’t. You just can’t half way apologize and accept to something to change.

There are two parts to an apology, the first part is Owning it, I’m sorry. Period. The second part is where the being genuine comes in, if you are truly sorry about what you have done to someone or how you have failed then you must do something to change it. I’m sorry loses its power just as fast when you keep saying I’m sorry for the same thing over and over. If you don’t change anything and you keep apologizing to me for the same thing, I am going to stop listening because your apology has lost the action. You have to own your mistakes and then act on them to change them for your “I’m Sorry” to actually mean anything. Its just as empty without the action as it is with a ‘but’ after it. If you ever want to be more than you are today put action to your I’m sorry and take out the ‘buts’. If you actually do this you should never have to apologize for the same thing twice.

]]>https://ivystracener.wordpress.com/2012/10/12/can-you-say-im-sorry/feed/0ivystracenerA little about love…https://ivystracener.wordpress.com/2012/10/07/a-little-about-love/
https://ivystracener.wordpress.com/2012/10/07/a-little-about-love/#respondSun, 07 Oct 2012 21:29:41 +0000http://ivystracener.wordpress.com/?p=761I would do my life a disservice if I abandoned, or stopped loving the one thing that made my life worth living. I say we should find something that is worth risking our heart being broken everyday, and when we do, love it will all we possess especially when it can do nothing for us, because the measure that we are able to love what will never love us will also be the weight of our legacy. There will be something that comes across your path that is so powerful that innately you can’t help but love it. That thing or person will never do a thing for you and you love it anyway, just because it exists. That’s when you reveal the depth of your character and the value of your life. Our value comes from valuing others.
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